Let’s ask Mr. Owl.
Have you ever made something more complicated than it needs to be? For example, do you remember the Tootsie Pop commercial with the turtle and the owl? The little boy asks Mr. Owl, “How many licks does it take to get to the center of a Tootsie Pop? “Does it take three licks for you to get to the center? Honestly, I’m like Mr. Turtle. I could never make it.
Did you know that studies have been done to figure that out?
Ask the experts
Quoting The Journal of Fluid Mechanics, Time Magazine reported that the survey found about 1,000. Talk about more complicated than it needs to be. But I’m guilty of silly stuff like that too, are you?
It happens to us all.
I found myself down the rabbit hole this week. I think I’ve told you about my Wednesday luncheon. A group of friends and I get together to catch up with each other and talk about what the preacher’s sermon was about last Sunday. We do put some thought into our conversation. A weekly email circulated with some of the topics related to the sermon. So, it allows everyone to rewatch or watch the sermon if they missed it on Sunday. Plus, it gives everyone a chance to think about the topics.
This week, one of the things we talked about is how the Bible uses the Word “truth.” Rather than take the easy answer, I couldn’t help myself. I made it complicated. The easy answer is that truth in the Bible is what is factual. But, on the other hand, is it? I am not questioning the Bible. I am just saying that the word “truth” appears in many contexts. I’ll blame Google for making it too interesting. I found that the Bible used the word “truth” 452 times. In fact, “truth” is used in so many ways that it is truly unique. Just in case you were wondering, when the same word appears in so many ways, it is called polysemy. Gee, I felt like Cliff Calvin from Cheers!
Here’s my point
My point in writing to you today is not really to debate the worth or use of the word “truth” in the Bible. And it is certainly not to talk about polysemous words. My point is that, like many other people, I sometimes make things more complicated than they need to be.
But I am not alone! Look at our tax code. According to a quick Google search, about 70,000 pages make up our tax code.
Last week, I mentioned to you that I was deep into learning about the 350 pages of the newest addition to the tax code, the Secure Act 2.0. So far this week, I have sat through three webinars, getting several perspectives on how to best approach the Secure Act in working with clients.
Abolish the IRS?
But as I sit through my third webinar, it’s not hard to see that the tax code is more complicated than it needs to be. Few people probably saw Congress’s rebuff of the 87,000 IRS agents authorized in last year’s congressional societal modeling. The 2023 House of Representatives’ first act was doing away with the IRS and reverting to a consumption tax. I’m all for that, but you and I know doing away with the IRS will never get by this Senate.
Here’s a shortcut
I still have about three more webinars to sit through, but I, like Mr. Owl in the Tootsie Pop commercial, have found a shortcut. Out of the three-hundred and fifty pages of the Secure Act 2.0, about twelve to fifteen items will affect the most people. That should include you. I have put those items into the Secure Act 2.0 Top Provisions Checklist below that you can download. If you have a retirement account, that checklist will be helpful to you.
As always, to end today, remember that this information is for educational purposes only. This information is not investment, accounting, or tax advice. For those things, you need to find yourself a good fiduciary advisor. 😉
Have a great week,
Van
PS, here are some other great topics from my blog that may interest you.
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